What impresses me about this set up is the simplicity and ease of just one tie off to each tree for both hammock and tarp.
What surprised me most when seeing it in person was that unlike a stock HH tarp attached to the suspension lines that sags as the hammock is loaded, the tarp attached to the upper ridge line actually becomes more taut with the hammock full.
Thanks tcbtx, and Uncle Mike, I'm seeing a real benefit with this setup also. I'm going to try to build one of these this weekend.
It looks fairly straight forward but any tips or tricks to save and grief or headaches would be much appreciated.
Last edited by BearChaser; 04-28-2011 at 14:57. Reason: Spelling
Start in the middle and work out, if you start at one end it can become a nightmare. Also make a short loop thats attached to the hammock at the whipping vs a long one (you want the biner that connects it under the tarp for rain protection). If you have an android phone the app thats commented on in the donating off topic forum makes doing your lengths easier (it does the math for you), its called hammock tools or similiar on the market. If you use it make the distance between trees your tarp length + the length you need to attach it (prussic, nacrobiner, s-biner, ect) and an extra inch, then the suspension length becomes the length you need for the loop in the alpine butterfly, the biner and the hammock end loop combined. You want the whoopie/ucr (I use a whoopie) to be close to the alpine butterfly to minimize the distance you have to have to hang. Remember to attach the tarp on the middle side of the alpine butterflies, if its on the outside (toward the tree) it will get looser when you get in like the HH does instead of getting tighter. I highly recommend using tarp-line tensioners as well to minimize the risk of damage to the tarp when it tightens up.
Thanks tbctx, unfortunately I started before reading your reply, but I think it may work out. Yeah, I started from the end, but, I jumped on AutoCAD real quick to do some drawing. I knew my loops on my hammock and my biners together were 6", I drew a 6" line @ 30 deg. Then figured on a 1-1/2" butterfly loop, so I had a 7-1/2" 30 deg. line. I knew the ridge line on my WBBB was 100". With the 7-1/2" 30 deg. line on the ends I dimensioned the distance my loops needed to be apart on centers. I came up with a rounded # of 9'-5" (113") apart, so I had a plan. When I got home I thought about what length I wanted my whoopies, and with some of the trees I have encountered being so far apart I decided on approx. 6'.
All my measurements:
I measured 12' & marked (start of bury)
Measured down 10" (end of bury)
Measured 4-1/2" from end of bury (tied 1-1/2" alpine butterfly loop)
Measured from center of knot 9'-5" & marked (tied second 1-1/2" loop making sure centered at 9'-5")
Then reversed all measurements, 4-1/2", 10", 12'
Made my whoopies, made end bury to button everything up.
I have a max distance between whoopie ends of around 23', min distance of around 12'.
I had enough daylight left to give it a try. Perfect. The blackbird hung absolutely the same no matter how tight or loose I hung the continuous line. I have a tree and telephone poll in my yard that is a good distance apart. Normally I had to hang everything up as far as I could reach, and I'm 6'-4" tall. So I started at that height and hung the line with some slack, clipped on the hammock, perfect hammock RL. Next I moved the continuous line to about chest height and tightened down the whoopies. Clipped the hammock on, jumped in, perfect hammock RL. I like this. Now I need to work a little on attaching my tarp. I didn't figure that into all this as I'm used to just hanging it separate I forgot all about it. I may be able to get it to work though, I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow. I will get a distance between that tree & poll, take some pics, maybe a video.
Yeah quick math says your somewhere around 115inches between your alpines so it will have to be a small tarp to go between it. Although I can't think of any that small off the top of my head... you may end up needing a DIY/custom tarp due to the length you put between them, that or unbury 1 (or both whoopies) and shift the alpine(s) out and have a slightly smaller whoopie. Shifting them once you put weight on it is a pain but is doable (I've had to do it before as I miss measured).
I am a visual person. I think I see in my minds eye what ya'll are describing but I made a really crude drawing to try and illistrate what I am seeing. Am I even in the ball park on this one?
ridgeline.JPG
Yosemite Sam: Are you trying to make me look a fool?
Bugs: You don't need me to make you look like a fool.
Yosemite Sam: Yer deerrrnnn right I don't!
Pictures help me too. My understanding is what you have there is close but in order for the tarp to be taut it needs to be attached to the RL inside of the alpine butterfly loops. Those loops may need to be further apart in order to allow enough length to fit the tarp and achieve a 30* angle.Originally Posted by Jazilla
Oh wow, so if my homemade tarp is 13' then I need at least 13' 1'' inside.
Yosemite Sam: Are you trying to make me look a fool?
Bugs: You don't need me to make you look like a fool.
Yosemite Sam: Yer deerrrnnn right I don't!
Correct, although you probably will need around 13' 5" due to needing some room for your chosen attachment. To note the alpine butterflies don't connect directly to the hammock either (straight attaching it to the whipping would be a nightmare) but to a biner of your choice (2 of mine use dutch biners, 1 uses climbing biners) that attaches to the loop that is connected at the whipping.
Tbctx ..... I never did say thanks for this concept .... Good stuff.
I did a 7/32 amsteel ridgeline on the ULBA and brought them out to loops with locked brummells. Thus it is a single line suspension out to the alpine butterflies, with a pair of camp nanos in between.
Dialed in the hang to exactly how I like it ..... Awesome.
Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage
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